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There are three possible places to configure your computer's port settings, depending on how your plotter is connected.
The Ports tab in the Plotter Configuration Editor contains information about the plotter's port configuration. If you configure a local, nonsystem plotter, you must specify the port to which the device is connected. You can choose a serial (local), parallel (local), or network port. For parallel ports, the default is LPT1. For serial ports, the default is COM1. Change the port name if your device is connected to a different port.
If you use a serial port, the settings within AutoCAD must match the plotter settings. Choose Configure Ports to make the AutoCAD settings match your plotter settings. The available protocols for your plotter are displayed.
You can also change settings for communication between the PC3 file and your computer or network system. You can plot through a port, plot to a file, or use the AutoSpool feature to plot in the background while you continue working. If you plot through a parallel port, you can specify the timeout value. If you plot through a serial port, you can change the baud rate, protocol, flow control, and input and output timeout values.
There are three possible places to configure your computer's port settings, depending on how your plotter is connected.
Your plotter is locally connected if it's plugged in to a port on the computer that's running AutoCAD. AutoCAD spools the plot (sends it through the Windows system spooler) if you also have configured a Windows system printer to print to the same plotter using the same local port. You are notified if your plot is being spooled due to a port conflict of this type, although you can use a setting on the Plot and Publish tab in the Options dialog box to turn off this warning.
Plotting through the system spooler is quicker. However, this method puts the conflicting Windows system printer in control of the input/output port configuration. The AutoCAD-configured port settings are ignored in this case. To view or adjust the port settings, go to the Windows Print Manager in the Control Panel and activate the printer that is configured for your plotter. You can adjust port settings in the Windows system printer's Properties dialog box. You can print a test page from the Properties dialog box to verify that the plotter and computer are communicating correctly.
Locally Connected, But Not Spooling
If your plotter is locally connected and there is no conflicting system printer, AutoCAD can directly control the input/output port settings.
If you're running AutoCAD on one computer and plotting to a device connected to another computer on the network, the remote computer is in control of the port settings, and the AutoCAD configured port settings are ignored. A Windows system printer must be configured on the remote computer. (This is how the plotter was shared on the network and made available to you.) The remote system printer controls the port settings; you can view and change these settings in each system printer file's Properties dialog box, on the remote computer.